Wabash County, Indiana - Chapter 13, 1914

IIoNiiiis WITH Liberty - North ALvnchester and Liberty Mills - FiiisT Pri\ate Schools Elsewhere in the County - Public School Finds Collecting - Quota of AVabasii County - Bad Outlook in is:).] - FuiuREs for 1854-00 - County Schools in 1870-82 - High Condition in 11)18 - Number of Teachers - High -School Enrol-" MENT - Old-Tlme Examiners - Change to County Superintend- ENCY - County and Township Institutes - County Superintendents - County Poard of Education - Present Inroad Field of Supei;intendent^ - Township Supervision - Sl-per\tsion in Grade Buildings - Hygiene of the Sciiooi. - Appearance of Teachers

Sul)staiitiall\', the i)n'Sriit county systum of public instruction was foiuulcd under a state law of 1852. A general distribution of various funds wliicli had been collecting for several years was made among the various counties of the state in 185-1, and the official examiner of Wabasil County commenced to license teachers in such numbers that it became evident that its educational matters were at last on a comparatively solitl basis.

As is generally known, the foundation of the public school system of the state and county was the fund derived from the sale of the sixteenth section of each congressional township, under the Ordinance of 1787 for tlie government of the Northwest Territory. For the purpose of utilizing the proceeds of the sales of these lands and converting tlicm into scliool I'cvciuic, an act of tlic Indiana l^c<i:islatiirL' was aj)- pi'ovc'd .Janiiai-y .'51, l.s24, piHuidiiiu' tliat "tlic inliabitants of cacli coii- ^t,n-essional townsliip l)L'ing either freelioltlers or householders, at the iiotiec given hy an\' thrin- such iiiha))itants, set \i\) for twenty days at three of the most puhlie i)iaees in such township, shall meet at the seetion I'esi-rvfd by Congress for the use of seliools, or at some i)lace convenient lliercto; and if thei'e be pi'eseiit at such tiiiu' and plaec twenty inlial)itants of sueli township, as aforesaid, they shalT proceed to elect by ballot three persons of their township as trustees, who shall 1)0 freeholdi'rs ; and, upon filing a eertitieate in the clerk's ottice that such election was held in eonformity to the provisions of this act, the inlud)- itants shall ])e a body corporate and politic, under tlie name and stylti of Townshii) School No. - , Kange - , as designated in the United States siirvey. " -'-

It is nnnecrssary to go into the details of this fundamental act, since the inhal»itants of Wabash County wei'e not suftieiently advanced, either in numbei-s or tax-])aying capaeit\', to adojjt and support a townshi]) system of i)ublie instruction \intil they were well into the '50s. Previous to that time, private or subscription schools were in vogue. As an introduction to a review of the pul)lic system of the county, tiie first seliools of that nature started in the several townships are here noted.

AVabasli Town was the only connnunity in Wabash County wliich took advantage of the school laws of the state enacted prior to 1852, altiiough at least four private schools were opened before a public institution was put in operation. In the winter of 1836-37, when the town was less than three years old, Ira Burr taught school in a l)uilding previously u.sed as a storehouse by William S. Edsall, situated on lot 2(j of the original plat. The second school occupied the same, or adjacent premises, and was taught for several months in the spring and sunniier of 1837 by Saiali lUackman. Enuna Swift taught the third school during two terms of three months each, in the fall and winter of 1S37- 38, and the teacher for those seasons in 1838-39 was ^Nlrs. Daniel Richardson. The latter lield forth in the Pat Duffy liuildiiig, which is described as a log house whicli had pi-eviou.sly l)een used botli for school and public puritoses. It was probal)ly David Burr's log house on the

In the winter of 1839-40, School District No. 1, of Congressional Townshii) No. 27 Nortli, Range 6 East, in NoMr Town.ship, liaving been organized, the peoplf of tlie district prepared to ereet a publie school building within its bounds. The contract was awarded to .Jose])h Ray who, under its terms, eonii)leted a frame building on the noi-th part of lot If)?, original plat, in tlie s{u-ing of 1840. It stood a little south and east of the freight dei)Ot of the old AVa])ash, St. Louis »S: Pacific Raili'oad and the old-time hollow which extended in a iiorthwestei-l\- and southeasterl}' direction was utilizi'd as a playground. ]Miss .Mai-y Ross, daughtei- of William O. Ross, opened this first ])ul)lic school of the town and the county - probai)ly in the summer of 1840. She afterwards nuu'- i-ied (ieorge Millei' and moved to Peru. It is said that Judge Daniel Jackson and ,Joseph Ray were especially identitit'd with tlie erection of this historic schoolhouse, which, with various private l)uildings rented by the school authorities, supplied the demand for sclioolhouses in District No. 1 during the succeeding decade or more.

If any school in the count\- outside of Wabash, was opened prior to the owv mentioned by .Mrs. Jonatluui Scott, tlu' author has not found the record of it. She said, many years ago, that the first school in Liberty Township was taught in a cabin built by John Ferree north of AnuTica. It was located on tlie old State Road, the teacher was George AV. Smith and she was one of ins pui)ils in tlie summer of 1837. The sc1kk)1 had been opened in the wintei- of 1836-37. In 1837 a separate building was erected for a school in the Town of America. It was made of iiewn logs, and one of Mrs. Scott's most vivid impressions of the town schoolhouse was gained from the fact that ]\lr. Smith's twenty pupils all had to sit on "sleepers" instead of regular seats.

In the summer of 1837 "William (J rant installed a school in one room of his double log cabin, located in the north edge of the present Town of La Fontaine. Eli Dillon taught the few children gathered tliere, chietly collected from the Grant families, or the Grant settlement. The same room had been used for the first religious services held in Liberty Townshij).

purposes, was l)uilt a iiiilc and a half north of La Fontaine. It was (k-scriln-d as a small lujlc-cahin, with ciLrht or tm feet cut out of one end for a c liinuu-y, with hum- liack wall and dirt jams. .Moses F. Wellman was one of the early teachers.

Paw Paw Township shai'es first eilueational honors with Liherty, as a school was tau^u:ht foi' a few weeks in the winter of lS;](i-;57 at the douljle log house of .Ja<'oh Bryan, just south of tin? Eel Piver. There were teu seholai-s - four from P>i-yan's own family, five from lieehner's ami one fi-om Palston's.

A short time later, iu L'-!87, that useful i)ioneer, John Anderson, turned one room of his douhle eahin into a school. This was located on Squirrel Creek, and the teacher engaged was -Jacol) Heilman.

The ne.xt institution of learning was estahlished in 1838. The neighhors (also south of Eel River in Paw Paw) built a round-log cabin with clai)board roof, puncheon Hoor and door and desks, pole seats with legs, and huge dirt and puncheon fireplace and stick-and-clay chimney, with log left out for light. The first teacher in that hou.se was Daniel Showalter.

The first school in the (iamble setthMuent, and one of the earliest in Paw Paw Township and the county, was one mile south of Roann. The log cabin schoolhouse was built about 18;iiJ, and Ward j\IcLees was the first teacher. Samuel Gamble was one of the scholars and walked three miles to school.

North Manchestei" and Liberty Mills established subscription schools about the same time, in the winter of 1 838-8!). 2\Iiss Harriet Tullis conducted one on Lot .'39, in behalf of the children of Liberty ^lills, and Tho'nui.s Keeler did the same for the juveniles of the rival town farther west.

At Judge Comstock's town the schools were taught in a different house each winter until about 1841, when a schoolhouse was erected on Lot 51. This was a frame l)uilding erected by the citizens, whose labor was contributed gratis. The salary of the teacher was nuide up l)y s\d)scripti()iis, as was the case throughout the township until the present school .system came into force.

A])out 1839 a school was taught in the old Jesse :\loyer house, iu the soutliwesteru i)art of Pleasant Township. 1). 1>. Allen was the teacher.

Villagers of La Gro claim that Gen. John Tipton, tlie Indian agent, built a srhoolhouse on the site of their town ahout ls:51). Outside of the villagi'. the first school was oi)eiied at about the same lime a mile and a half north of I'eab.)dy',s Creek.

As we have elsewhere noted, Waltz Township \vas late in bein^' settled, as its lauds were the last to be cleared of Indian titles. Sehools were therefore founded at a comparatively late da.v - the first one on the noi-th side of the ^lississinewa, opposite Somerset, not being built until 184G. This served as both first school and first meeting house.

I5y the time all the townships of Wabash County were in a position to assume school taxes under the general act of 1852, they were also entitled to tlieii- quotas of several accumulated fuiuls. In the year 18o7 the school fund of the state, at first consisting of the Congressional Township Fund oidy, was increased by an act of the Legislature directing that ouo-half of the surplus revenue of the United States deposited in the state treasury be distributed among the several counties of the state in amounts proportionate to the ta.xable i)olls in eacli county, to be loaned out l»y officers ai)pointed for that purpose for the benefit of the common schools of the county.

In 1845. by further legislative enactment, it was directed that all the funds that had accumulated, or might be received from the sale of the saline lands of the state, should be likewise distributed among the several counties, and loaned in the same manner and for the same object i)rescribed for the surplus revenue funds previously distributed. During the same year the bank tax fund went to swell that collecting for the sui)port of the common sehools. Tiiese constituted the productive branch of the school funds from which, since those several dates, the publie schools of the different counties have been in great measure supported. Besides the funds above enunu'rated, there were others known as prospective and tmproductive, all of which were set forth in the first report of the state superintendent of public instruction as follows: Productive, $2,278,588; unproductive, $1,560,400; prospective, $1,150,- 000. Total, $4,988,988.

By the estimated amount for distribution among the several counties of the state for the year 1854, the first made under the law of 1852, the proportion of Wabash County, on the estimated basis of eighty cents

The aetini: examiners in Wabash County in 1853 were Josiah l^owles, who had licensi-d twelve teachers during that year, and 1). \Vhitin<xer, who had licmscd cighteiMi. In his report to the state superintendent Ml-. Bowles says: "In rej^ard to teaehers and schools which have come under my ol)servation, thei-e is little improvement under the new .system; and my own convictions are that we cannot look for good teachers ajid good schools so long as the present 'Thomas Dillworth straddle-l)ench schoolhouscs' remain. There is not in our townshij) one single schoolhouse whicli will bear the appellation of a tolei-ably good one. How shall this evil be remedied / Would it not be proper for the Legislature to pass an act empowering the township trustees to levy a tax to meet the great denmnds for good schoolhouscs f Unless we have good schoolhouses we cannot have good schools."

By the enumeration of 1854, there were 5,232 children of school age in AValiash County - 183 less than the i)revious year. Of that number 2.1)21 wei'e imiles and 2,311 females, and the attendance had been: Male.s. 2.21i), and females, 1,763.

The tigures for 1855 siiow: Total between the ages of five and twenty-one 5,!)()0 - 3,118 males and 2,782 females; 82 school districts and 31 schools; $3,3f)4.43 expended for tuition; $4,809 assessed for building schoolhouscs - $1,759 in La Gro Township and $3,140 in No1)le (Wabash).

In 1856 there was a better showing - 6,280 children (3,226 males and 3,054 females), of whom 4,176 attended school within the year. The tuition was $5,996.82. There were 107 districts and 99 schools, iMuploying S:] male and 17 female teachers outside of Wabash, and $7,006.28 assessed for building schoolhou.ses. The congressional township fund amounted to $15,057.31 during the year; amount refunded, $2,328.11; interest collected, $1,342.39. The common school fund amounted to '$6,854.99 ; refunded within the year, $1,419.38; interest collected, $55.43. Total school funds, $21,912.30; interest collected, $1,898.82. No scliool lands renuiined unsold.

i'oi- Wahasli County: Total cnuiiu'i'ation, 1,W'); males, 'A,^:'}'), and felualrs, ;),4r)(). luTi'ivcd in tuition during tlir year, .tll,;U7, for an average length of term of eighty-eight tiays. Apportioned foi- the year, ,i;7,;)4().4(); amount of congressional township funils at the elose of the previous yeai', -i;! S, 748.68 ; total amount at the ilate of autlitor's report, $18,758.08, iiicluding ten aeres of unsold school lands valued at $50. Amount for disti-il)ution that year, $1,!)82.82; amount of common school fund at the end of the previous year, $0,726.58. Amount added by the commissioners of the sinking fund within the year, $8,484.58. Total amount, June 1, 1800, .4^15,290.70. Total amount for apportioiniient, $6,477.01.

By the state superintendent's report for the year 1882, it appears that the chiklren of school age in AVabash County amounted to 8,543, and the attendance was 6,775. The total revenue from tuition was $79,885.72 ; amount expended, $44,860.46 ; balance on hand Septendjer 1, 1882, $35,025.26. The same report indicates that at the end of the school year August 31, 1882, there wc 'n the county 141 schoolhouses, of M-hieh 74 were l)rick and (J7 frame, of a total value of $207,250. For that year there was a special fund of $37,168.08, from which $10,950 was expended for schoolhouses.

Twenty yeai's after the above figures were compiled the population of AValiash County had increased oidy about 2,000, yet the condition of the schools Avas far better. From the county auditor's report for the

The report of the county superintendent of schools for 1013-14 gives a roster of all the teachers in the county, from which it is gleaned that there are 2'2'k divided Ity to\vnshij>s, school districts and wards as follows:

City of Wabash: Superintendent and supervisors, 5; high school teachei's, 14; Last Wartl School, 8; :\liami School, 8; West Ward School, 8: Soutli Side School, 8; Century School, 8. Total, 59.

Altogether there are 429 pupils enrolled in the township high schools, as follows : Chester, 50 ; Chippewa, 18 ; LaFontaine, 43 ; LaGro, 51 ; Laketon, 48; Lincolnville, 38; Linlawn, 35; Roann, 62; Somerset, 42; Urbana, 42.

forniances little need be said. Previous to the reformatory law of 1852 his chief duty was to go through tlie form of examining teaehers wlio applied for certifieates ; and usually the applicant was far more proficient than the examiner. The certificate was supposed to he granted for a period which was gauged on the correctness of tiie answers received. The grade of examiners and teachers was nu-iterially raised during the two deeades prior to 1873, tlie list of th.e former including such intelligent and wortliy eiti/eiis as C. K. Ila/eii, William W. Beck, Charles S. Parrish, Joseph .Mackey, AVarren 0. Sayre and Alvaii Taylor.

When the change to the county superintendency was made in 1873, the official duties of the head of the scliools were greatly enlarged. lie became, in fact, an active superintendent, giving all his time and abilities to the improvement of the publie system of insti'uction, being accountal)le both to the state superintendent of pulilic instruction and the county board of education. Scliooliious^'s have bee n improved, teaching methods advanci^^d in aceoi'dance with tlie g. nci'al progress of scientific education, hygienic reforms introduced of l)oth an arcliiti'ctural and personal nature, and in every way the local system has kept pace with the rapid advance of tlie general forward movement in all educational matters, whether of theory or i)i-actice.

No one influence has had a l)etter effect on the county system of public instruction than that exei'ted thi'ougli the institutes ami normals. As eai'ly as 1805 and 1866, institutes wei-e held in the county under the supervision of the county examiner. Thi; li'st ones whicli really drew the attention of teachers to their importance wi-re those lield in 1866 and 1867, during the administration of Wan-en (J. Sa>'i'e, but it was not until 1874 that they were considered pei'imuient institutions of tlie county system.

In his report for that }'ear, Irvin h\ Stratton, the first superintendent of schools of Wabash County, says in his report to the state superintendent: "Our County Institute, the best held in the count}' for two years, met in Wabash, October 20-24, i:;clusive, was well att(;nded and did much good. On account of tlu' size of oiu' townships and bad weather, out township institutes wei-e not as well attended as tliey should have been, but they were beneficial in their results and will be the means of elevating our teachers and thereliy elevating our schools. Nearly one hundred of our teachers attcudL-d nornud chissus in this county from six to eight weeks, and tins, too, tlie first woi'k of tlie kind whieli had ever l)een (hjiie in the county. The average al)ility in Wahash (bounty will be 20 ])er cent, higher this }'ear than ever before. County supcrintendency is entitletl to a fair share of credit for all good results herein indicated."

In 1875, 170 teachers were present at the annual institute, held at the City of Wabash, and from that year to the present tlie attendance has practically included every regular teacher in the county. In this work from first to last Miss Adelaide Steele Baylor took a leading part, serving for some years as secretai-y of the county institute.

The township institutes continue to be the most constant source of improvement to the teaching force of the county, as they ai-e held throughout the school year - the first Saturdays of the month in Waltz and Chester townships; second Saturdays in Pleasant and Paw Paw; and thii'd Saturdays, in Xoble, Liberty and La Gro.

\'ai'ious rules and regulations are in force to ensure a full attendance, the most efhcacious being those which provide for a fine for non-attendance and the fact that the trustees will i)ay teachers only on the days when the township institutes are being held.

The Indiana Statutes says: '"Tliat no teacher shall receive wages for attending township institutes, unless he or she shall attend tlie full session of such institute and perform the duty or duties assigned." The law also states that a teacher forfeits one day's wages for every day's absence, unless such service shall be occasioned by sickness or such other reason as may lie approved by the township trustee."

Suggestions in the last report of the county sujjerintendent : "The program connnittee should follow the suggestions given in the institute outline very closely. Definite assignments should be made and those on duty should prepare their work thoroughly before presenting. TlTe leader who conducts the work in the Teachers' Heading Circle Books is expected to conduct a model recitation by having her lesson well outlined and using the institute as a class. Both the leader and class should recite with books closed. Teachers should enter the institute as if they meant business by removing hats, gloves, etc., not acting as if it was a holiday and they were posing for a camera. The township principals should require the leaders to furnish them with copies of the outlines which they expect to use in presenting the T. R. C. books. Well prepared papers are much more desirable than rand)ling talks when leading in the discussion of other sul)jects on the program. From time to time township lU'incipals will be eyoected to report tiie character of the

"The following toi)ies are to l)e on the pi'ograni some time during the year: Keading in tlie primary grades. Diseuss the i)laiis given in the State Course of Study, the Ward .Manual and county plans."

Following .Air. Stratton in the county superintendency up to the present time have been: Isaac .Macey Good, (Jeorge T. Ilerriek, Irvin F. Stratton, Harvey A. Ilutcliens, John X. ]\Iyei-s, Avery A'Villiams, Lincoln (J. Dale, John W. Lewis, Kobert K. Devericks.

Thei'e is no detail in the county system of i)ublic education which the superintendent does not guide - teachers, township superintendents and pupils are all under his watchful eye and active mind, and all are lield to their tasks with kindness, but firmiiess. p]very yeai- moi-e is required of him ami of them, as in every other field of human endeavor. To illusti'ute these oI)servations let us quote fi'om the last re])ort of Comity Superintendent Devt-rieks, the e.xtrai-ts being taken from various portions of his interesting exposition.

This lias ])wn done in tlie j)ast to some extent, Imt this year tiiey are exj)reted to keep even more closely in touch with the \vork of the teacher. Jt is also to he hojjed that the teachers will eoui)erate with them in this work. The snperintendent of sehools, where eertidt'd Ingh sehools are located, will have direct supervision of the grades and in a measure will he responsible for the work done by the teachers. It is expected that the township superintendents will visit each district school at least twice within a year. They are to ask the teachers to submit plans of their work, and specimens of the work done by the i)Upils at stated times. Arrangements for monthly examinations and nuuiy other plans may be made by them. Questions ai'ising as to the grading and promotion of l)ui)ils should be referred to the township superintendent or the superintendent of the graded schools as the case nuiy ])e.

''Superintendents of graded schools are expected to have complete chai'ge of their respective buildings and their word should be law in all matters jjcrtaining to school woi'k, subjeet only to the rules in tlu; (,'oinity Maiuud. When rules are made the teachers should enforce them without question whether they believe they are right or not. Teachers often make the great mistake of letting i)upils know that they aiH' not in sympathy with the superintendent. Pui)ils should never know of any dift'erences that exist between them. If a teachei- is assigned a certain part of the work in general discipline, asked to do work in a certain manner, asked to take her tui-n staying at the building during the noon houi', or to perfoi-m any other duty, she should be ready and willing to cooperate with the superintendent for he of all others should know what is best for the schools.

"The superintendent is expected to sujx'rvise the work of all t'eachers very closely. Note books should l)e so arranged that he can within a few miiuites in the morning know all that they are plamiing to do during the day. Teachers' meetings are very helpful, if properly condu('ted, and only questions of general interest are discussed.

"It is the trustee's duty to place a thernu)meter in each schoolroom and it is the teacher's business to kee[) uniform temperature and see that the rooms ai'c properly ventilated. A boai'd should l)e placed under the lower sash so that the air iiuiy eutei- between the upper and lower sashes. Improper heating and poor ventilation is not only a dt-trinicnt to tlie health of tlu- ehildi't-n, Itut they are unable to ac-coinplish what is rxpiH-tcd of them in their studies. Teachers should he eartd'ul about allowing,' puj)ils to sit in tlie dicect suidi<,dit. Teaeliers should wi-ite a lar{.(e, plain hand on the blaekboard. Window shades should be in good i'ej)air and raised or lowered l)y the teacher at the proper time. It is no great wonder tluit the eyesight of so many children is afl'ected when you consider the i)Oorly lighted schoolrooms. ]t is worth while fo!- the teachei- to spend some time during tlie day in safeguarding the boily of the child, as well as in developing the miiid.

"There are two extremes in the appearance of teachers and pupils both of which seem to be reached in this county. It is the teacher's duty to teacli the children to be neat and clean anti is entirely within the duties of tlie teaclier to see that their hands and faces are clean, hair condxnl, the teacher guiding them by pi'ecept and example. On the other hand, we tind some boys that are snobbish ami in numy instances girls that do tlieir hair up ridiculously and wear gowns more suitable for })arties than for schoolrooms where comfort is so much desired. It is perhaps a lady's own business to dress as she pleases but teachei's must remember that school girls are apt to pattern after them and as a result spend several hours each day in artiticial decorations when the time is needed so much in stud v.

" 'It shall l)e the duty of all teachers to immediately send home any pupil who is perceptibly ill in any way, or who is unclean and enuts offensive bodily odors or who is infested with lice or other vermin; and the truant oftlcer shall ai'rest and prosecute parent or guardians who do not rid thi'ir children of vermin and bodily uncleanliness, when notified to do so. Refusals of parents or guardians to free their cluldren or wards of vermin or to bathe and cleanse them, making them tit to go to school, shall l)e i)unished hy a fine of not less than five dollars and imprisonment for ten tlays, or l)oth. And if the refusal or neglect of jiarents or guardians to bathe and cleanse their children or wards nnikes it necessary, then the truant offi('er, ujion order of the school authorities, shall have it done, the cost to be paid by the school authorities from tlie school funds.'

"SiKx'c'ss grades will br nuule out at the i-iul of the school year. According,' to law, these j^'radi'S must he used in couiputing the wages of teachers during the following year. I>y the staiidar<l used in this county it is intended that teachers with one year's expei-ienee, who are successful, and their work' entirely satisfactoi'y shall receive DO per cent. Those whose woi'k is not satisfat-tory uuiy di-op as low as S,! ])er cent. Those whose work is satisfactory will he raised according to the success of the teachers but it is intended that after teaching three years that those who have been an entire success shall receive 1)5 per cent. Ordiiuirily it will take four or tive years to reach the Do per cent nuirk. By this scale after teaching a year, the length of license will be determined largely by the success grade, 1)0 per cent giving the ai)iilicant an excellent chance to get a twenty-four-iuonth and Do per cent a good chance to get a thirty-six-nionth. These grades are tixed by the county superintendent after advi.sing with the local superintendent, and the townshij) trustee.

"It is a difticult matter to estiuuite the grades by schedule or in an\' othei- manner, except by placing a general estinmte upon the value of the teacher. However, there are nuiiiy things that affect the grades and although a teacher may have been successful in many respects ami nuiy feel that she shoidd have a certain grade, yet there are many minor details that nuiy change the grade considerably from what may seem fair on a general estimate. For example, a teacher nuiy do good teaching but if the Institute work is poor, the api)earanee of the teacln'r is not satisfactory, the i)rogram not followed, school property not cared for, ignorance of 'Plans,' schoolroom untidy, teaching for money only, failure to keep nj) with the profession by attending Summer Noruud ami nuiny other things any one of which may nuike consitlerable ditiVu-ence in the grade. The three most important factors which determine the success grades are prof(>ssional inti'rest, daily ])rei)aration of the teacher and the discipline of the school. Any one of these may cause absolute failure.

"The life of the teacher outside the school has very little to do with the success grade, yet teachers are expected to live honest lives and not allow social functions, theatres, etc., to interfere with their daily preparation and take up time which should belong to the school."

Tlie teacher's power in j,'ovei'iiineiit is shown in the general spirit of tlie school, anil in the attitmle the pupils lake toward their daily tasks, toward each other and toward the school property.

Under this head the personality of the teacher, his professional and community interest, and all tho.se qualities that make for the best citizenshij) should he considered.

Any one wishing to employ children between fourteen and sixteen must get an employment certificate of the local superintendent. This employment certificate is given to parents upon request.

This employment certificate is kept on iile by the school officials and a card is given the employer on which to notify the local superintendent when the child leaves his employ.

The same law provides for Arbor Day on the third Friday of April, "for the 4)ui'pose of encouraging the ])lanting of shade and forest trees, shrulis and vines." Further "the exercises on Arbor Day shall give due honor to tiie conservers of forestry, and the fountlers of the study and# conservation of Indiana foi'esti-y, and esjx'cially to the leading spirit of Indiana forestry conservation, Charles Warren Fairbanks."

In his last report Superintendent Devericks also conveys tiie information, which falls within the requirements of the .school curriculum, that the Indiana Legislature adopted the carnation as the state flower, and "(hi the lianks of Wabash, h'ar Away" (words and music l)y Paul Dresser) as the State song, by acts appi'oved in .March, l!)13.

'Round my Iiidiana lionu'Stead wave the cornfields, In the distance loom the wootllands clear and cool, Often tiiiHs my tho'ts revert to scenes of childhood, Whei'e I first i'ecei\ed my lessons - nature's scliool. But one thinj^ there is missing in the i)icture, AVithoiit her face it seems so incomplete, I long to see my mother in the doorway, As she stood there years ago, her boy to greet.

"Oil, the moonlight's fair tonight along the AValiash, P'rom the fields there comes the l)reath of new-mown hay. Through the sycamores the candle liglits are gleaming, On the hanks of tiie AVabash, far away.